Lost Policy Locator Tool Leads To Recovery Of $10M In New Hampshire

CONCORD, NH — For nearly five years, New Hampshire residents have been using a lost policy recovery tool to find more than $10 million worth of missing life insurance and other policies, according to the New Hampshire Insurance Department.

The Life Policy Locator tool, which was created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, has assisted more than 1,000 Granite Staters in finding lost or unknown insurance policies and annuities. The tool was launched in November 2016 in an effort to help consumers locate the policies and contracts of deceased family members.

“The loss of a family member is a painful experience and consumers oftentimes struggle to find their deceased loved ones' policies,” Christopher Nicolopoulos, the commissioner of the department, said. “The Lost Policy Locator Tool is a powerful resource that has helped New Hampshire residents settle important details of the estates of deceased friends and family members.”

Keith Nyhan, the director of Consumer Services with the department, said, carriers participating in the program “represent the vast majority of all policies written nationwide.” The locator, he added, “is open to the public, including beneficiaries and legal representatives.”

More than 400 insurance companies participate in the program.

“We encourage people to visit the NAIC’s website and utilize the Lost Policy Locator Tool to make a difficult experience as easy as possible to overcome,” DJ Bettencourt, the deputy insurance commissioner, said. “Given the high match rate we have seen, we believe there remains a significant amount of money that remains to be claimed and consumers can be assured that the Lost Policy Locator is secure, confidential, and free to use.”

Consumers can learn more by visiting the Lost Policy Locator Tool website, linked here.

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